Death, The 'Last' Great Adventure
by Harbinger-of-script
Summary: Brought low by Chaos, Horus fell. Brought low by his Father, Shinji Crashed. Redeemed by a voice, Horus Rose. Reshaped by a kami-clad-in-flesh, Shinji became. By the will of their Father, the 'Angels' attack. By His will alone, they are smote upon the ground, back broken and flesh wrent. Shinji Ikari, pupil of Horus -The Lupercalian-, marches upon the mount and proclaims it his!
1. Prologue:Ch 1

_AN:_ _**This is my first foray into the world of Evangelion… I am going to fuck shit up, no doubts about that… And some of it will be on purpose too! This story will contain graphic scenes of Violence, sexual actions between 'Minors' of the imaginary persuasion, Torture of the mind and body, aspects of the Grimdark universe that is Warhammer 40K, Glorious combat, Swear words of a multitude of languages, Enough blood and Gore to fill a stadium, and Angst… Cause you can't get enough of that shit in everyday life we just have to add it in here too!**_

 _ **The series will take place whenever it is I decide it will, and Horus will be a heavy influence upon much of what happens. Shinji will not be what anyone will expect him to be, save maybe Horus. Suggestions on fights will be accepted and welcomed, suggestions on pairings will be shot in the face and returned to sender with all the genteelness of the Imperial Inquisition. So, be forewarned, I will not take lightly to flamers, for they are a blight on Fanfiction and should be dealt with post haste by all who see them ;) Have a nice day and enjoy the show!**_

 _ **Your Author, who has been gone for years, Harbinger-of-Script!**_

* * *

 **Chapter One**

 **Prologue**

* * *

"Father! Do it! End it all! KILL ME!" Horus cried out in anguish as the Chaos gods were shunted from his body by the force of his will. His father, even though unable to hear him, did not hesitate to send his lance of psychic energy into his most favored son. ' _Thank you … Father_ ' Horus' last thought was as the lance tore through his body and rendered his flesh unto dust and ash upon the decking of the Vengeful Spirit.

Horus' spirit left his body, still reeling from the attack his father had made against him. He tumbled into the warp, but instead of settling within its cruel embrace for eternity, he road the currents of the immaterium and fell into the never-ending abyss. From there, he spent a million lifetimes in terrible purgatory, the only thing that did not let him go insane was the gift of Foresight that had been bestowed upon him by the Chaos gods, unknowingly and unwittingly.

He saw the futures of the universe around him, followed the tune of creation, and saw the deaths of trillions. He saw wonders, and horrors the likes the Warp itself had never even dreamt of imagining. He learned the forgotten arts of humanity and forgot just as much as he learned. Granted, nothing ever remains lost to a Primarchs mind as long as he has time to search for it.

As he longingly tumbled through the blackness of unreality, a sudden vortex of energy and spiteful reality opened up under him, or below him, such is the conundrum that _was_ his home.

* * *

His armor fell apart, no longer held together by his body, it fell to the decking and clattered about at his father's feet. The Immortal man in golden armor lamented the death of his son for but a moment, with his peace said he left the flagship of the Traitor legions and swept himself back to Terra to sit upon his golden throne.

He took up the throne, wept for his fallen friend Malcador, and sealed his fate for the foreseeable future… It is the end of the Great Crusade; now it is the Grim Dark Future, and there is only _War_.

* * *

Shinji Ikari, a young boy of three, stood out on a train station with four bags of luggage arrayed around him. His tear-filled eyes stung in the evening air. The cold wrapped around him like a vice and squeezed at his heart and soul like boa circling ever tighter and tighter. His small heart ached at what his father had done, having left him alone on the docking point with nothing to keep him warm.

He knew his mother was gone, forever lost to him like the love his father once showed him. His heart ached to see her, his red eyes telling all there was to know about how thoroughly devastated he was.

He sunk to his small knees and wept into his tiny hands. His soul cried out for comfort and love, but found none to be offered to him. HIs lips quivered and shook, his eyes leaked hot tears of betrayal and loss, and his body shook with fear and sorrow.

His young mind could barely comprehend what had happened, only that his mother was gone, his father abandoned him, and his body ached from the cold. He was so deeply entrenched in his self-loathing that he did not see, and nor did he feel, the rise in the temperature, or the swirling of the leaves in an ethereal wind

Light flashed, unseen, and darkness enveloped the sky for the moment in between seconds. A hole, darker than night, but lighter than a black hole, opened up in the sky. No one saw, no one felt, but one thing with the greatness of lifetimes fell through. It tumbled down, seemingly invisible to everything else, and landed upon the Earth.

* * *

Clad in grey vestments not unlike those worn by Roman senators during the reigns of the emperors, this Being stood. Bald of head, gray of eye, it stood. Broad of shoulder, great of stature, humbled by lifetimes, wizened by war, they stood.

Hearing the sobs of the broken, this Being searched for the source. Finding its location, the Being strode. Clearing the vastness between them, it stood within the station and beside the boy. Kneeling, the Being comforted the child.

" _What ales you, child of man?_ " The Being questioned. His voice clear, his tone somber, his presence comforting in its immensity.

"M-my daddy! He! He left me!" The child sobbed into its hands. The Being scowled gently at the words. "My mommy is gone too!" The child wailed.

" _What happened to her child?_ " He asked.

"Don't know! Was there 'nd then gone!" The child blubbered. "Now nobody wants me!" The boy cried.

The Being flinched. He knew what it was like to be left behind by a Father. He knew what it was like to not have a Mother. In his many hearts he felt a soft loathing form for a man he had never seen, and a fondness for a child he had just met.

"Shinji! Are you Shinji!" the Being looked over his shoulder and stared at the man standing there. The man had an indifferent look carved into his face, and looked much like a weasel by facial recognition alone. The Being got up and sized the man up. Short, wiry, thinning hair in the front, scraggly beard, loose fit clothing, worn shoes, and unwashed. The Being was not impressed with the man in the slightest.

"Y-yes?" The boy answered. The Being scowled slightly and concentrated back on the boy. The Being lessened his scowl and smiled softly at the boy. The boy, shyly, returned the smile with a grin.

"What are you smiling at boy! We need to go!" The man snapped. The Being scowled again at the man, it was as if he could not see him. The Being snarled and took a step towards the man.

" _I suggest you use calmer words to talk with the boy. He has gone through enough as it is,_ " The Being snapped. His rage simmered underneath his skin like the magma flow of an inactive volcano. The man, on the other hand, seemingly ignored the Being's words of caution.

"Come, we are leaving!" The man said and turned around. Unlike his clothes and personal hygiene, the man's posture was impeccably straight and firm. The Being, having had enough of the man's disrespect, reached forth with his massive hand and went to clasp the man's shoulder.

To his shock, and the shock of the boy, his hand went straight through the man as if he were immaterial instead of material. The Being looked at his hand, and then to the boy. " _You can see me, right?_ " The Being asked, more than a bit perturbed by the inconsistency. The child nodded. Shinji, as that was what the Being believed the child's name to be, ran his arm along his nose and wiped away the trail of snot that hung there.

' _That was both cute, and disgusting…_ ,' the Being hummed mentally to itself.

" _Follow the man, Shinji,_ " The Being told him. Shinji gave him a look and slowly nodded his head. With a forlorn expression on his face, Shinji marched off after the man. Just as he was about to pass the Being by, he looked up into his face and sent him a pleading look.

"You'll come with me… Right?" Shinji asked, his voice small and coarse to the ears. His chest still heaved erratically, still trying to force out a sob or two as he tried to calm down.

" _Yes, I will go with you. You look like you could use someone to help you anyway._ "

"Thank you…," Shinji smiled and ducked his head away. He clutched his shirt tightly in both hands and shambled off to where the man was waiting by a car.

"Get over here Shinji!" The man barked. He sneered at the boy and sniffed disdainfully at him. "Useless boy," he muttered crassly. The Being fumed at the remarks, but knowing that he couldn't do anything to the man, he simply let his rage subside.

* * *

 **Several Hours later**

* * *

The car pulled into a small driveway in some nondescript part of Japan. It was so un-noteworthy that even the sky was a bleak color of gray. It was extremely depressing to see, even for the unknowably old Being that followed Shinji and his new 'Teacher' there.

' _This is… Pathetic? I am not sure if that can even describe how utterly dismal this place is. Cthonia was at least vibrant in its whiteness. This place could even bore a Mechanicus Adept to tears!_ ' The Being mentally scorned.

"Shinji, gather your thing and put them inside. I want you cleaned up and presentable for dinner in an hour~!" The man, Synoske, snapped at Shinji. The Being growled lowly but said nothing, there was nothing he really could say.

"U-um…"

" _Go ahead Shinji, just take your time and do what you can. I'll see if I can help,_ " The Being assured the boy. Shinji nodded his little head and grabbed up two of the three suitcases that held his things. The twiggy little three year-old waddled off towards the front door of the small two story abode the man had brought them to.

The Being bent down and reluctantly went to put his hand on the last suitcase when he froze. Why was he hesitant? He was older than most civilizations, and he had fought monsters the likes of which none had ever seen! Why was he afraid of a little suitcase? Even if it was the finality with which an action brought, why was it so hard to just confirm what he already knew?

" _Fuck it,_ " He reached down and wrapped his hand around it. He froze. His hand stopped. Not of its own volition, mind you, but because it had found resistance. He tested his grip, it was not wanting in any way. He picked it up, and suddenly he was very confused.

" _How does that even work_?" He asked noone in particular. He expected no answer, and received none. He sighed and resigned himself to a life of inconsistencies. He could feel it in the air around him, things were going to be surprising him for the foreseeable future, even if he knew they were coming.

Before he went further, He checked again to make sure that the sleazy looking man was not present before he quickly moved the suitcase over to where Shinji was standing. The young boy had a confused look about him as he watched the Being, not that the Being was too far off from a similar existence himself.

"W-what room is… is mine?" Shinji called out. He looked at the narrow stairway that led to the second floor and then over towards a rice door that led to the only visible room on the ground floor.

"Top floor! End of the hall! Don't get it dirty!" The man yelled from somewhere in the house. Shinji nodded to himself and picked up one of the suitcases. Just as he was about to lift the other one, the Being stopped him by doing it himself.

" _I have this one, young one, go on ahead up the stairs, I will follow you._ " The boy nodded and sent a small smile up towards the tall man. The Being smiled down at him and gently urged him on with his fist.

With a quick little hop the boy began to jauntily mosey on up the stairs. About twenty steps, and a landing, later they were on the second floor. Shinji peered around the corner and saw that the room to his right was the apparent upstairs bathroom. He swiveled his gaze over to the other side of the small space and saw that the door for the bedroom was open. He quickly waddled in with his suitcase and silently took in his new residence.

The room was small, roughly 8'x10', eighty square feet. The western and eastern facing walls were blank, nothing but wooden slats that were meant to cover wood beams. The northern wall had a wide, but short window placed at head height. For Shinji it was just out of reach, but he didn't think of that. The left wall had a long, but squat, vanity type dresser sitting agisnt it. The mirror back was covered in a fine film of calcium, but was still clear enough to see a reflection in. The south wall had two separate pieces of furniture laid against it, one a simple wood desk with writing lamp and the other a standing wardrobe that looked built for a midget.

The north eastern corner of the room was the only place that Shinji really cared about though. Seeing as it also was where the rooms single bed was placed, it was not a surprise.

" _This… Is small,_ " the Being muttered.

"Sle~epy," Was all Shinji could say before he dropped the suitcase next to the vanity and stumbled over to the bed. The little boy could not even be bothered to remove his clothes before he slumped down into the mattress, dead to the world.

" _That … That is adorable…,_ " the Being remarked suddenly. He did not know why he said it, but knew that it was true, and right. He did not think any more on it as he too felt slumbers call. He slumped against the only free space on the opposite wall and slowly slid down it. With a heavy sigh, he slipped into dreamland.


	2. Shenanigans with Horus and Shinji:Ch 2

**Well, it seems that I have kept to my Bi-monthly schedule! I hope you all enjoy this installment of Death, The 'Last' Great Adventure.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

 **Everyday Shenanigans**

 **With Horus and Shinji**

 **One Week Later**

* * *

The Being woke with a start when a sharp ratatata resounded of the wooden frame of the rooms only door. The Being scowled and grumbled under his breath. Ever since coming to this new world it had been forced to keep to a similar sleep schedule as the child. It was hard for him to do much, even just staying in one spot seemed to drain him of energy as the day wore on. Doing simple things, like lifting objects, wore him out even faster than if he had done nothing. It was odd for him, like exercising a muscle hadn't known he had until recently. It was more than a bit frustrating.

The one thing that was looking up for him though was that, with each passing day, he could expend half again as much energy as the day before. It wasn't much, but with each day he was able to lift heavier and heavier things to help Shinji out around the house.

Something else he had noticed was that he could only interact with things that eh boy himself had touched, or been in the presence of recently. Once more, the Being scowled and released his pent-up anger in a seething sigh of frustration.

"Wake up you brat! It's time for breakfast! Get in here!" The man shouted.

"MMmm, I'm `ake!" Shinji yawned out. His voice caught and warbled for a bit. The Being chuckled soundlessly at the rather cute action. While Shinji nimbly got to his feet and readied himself for the day; making his bed, changing into proper clothes, and brushing his unruly morning bed head, the Being got to his feet.

" _Shinji._ " The boy turned around and looked up into the Being's clear blue eyes.

"Ye~ah, Horus-san?" The child asked. The Being, Horus, the Lupercalian of Cthonia and Warmaster of the Great Crusade, Arch-Traitor of all mankind, Redeemed Son of the Emperor, and longest-lived thing in the known Galaxies.

" _It is time to awaken little son, the man wishes for breakfast, I do not wish to see you harmed yet again…,_ " Horus scowled sullenly at the memory that evoked. Just yesterday the man had smashed his plate over Shinji's head for not making breakfast to his exacting specifications. It was also the first day that Horus realized that he was feeling more than just a bit protective of the child he had come to be anchored to.

"Ah… Okay."

" _Yes_."

"Did you come up with any ideas about how you got here? And why you are stuck with me?" As much as the man downstairs would rave at Shinji for being an idiot, the boy was anything but. Horus had trained with many aspirants back on Cthonia, fought, with and against, hundreds of thousands of different kinds of people over his long life, and few could talk with him on a familiar level of understanding.

" _No, not yet at least. It is frustrating to know that somewhere out there is the answer, but to have it so far out of reach is quite irritating,_ " Horus lamented with a weary sigh.

"That does sound frustrating. Well, I will go down and prepare his food," Shinji slipped on some socks and gently padded towards the door. The little boy stopped, however, right on the threshold and turned back to look at Horus. "Will we continue our lessons when I'm done? I really liked the stories about your father… He sounds like a good man, if a bit scary," the raven-haired boy smiled tenderly up at the once-arch-traitor of mankind, his ultramarine blue eyes seemed to sparkle with hidden wanderlust and excitement. It touched something deep within the Ancient Primarchs heart to see such excitement, and at something he could give, willingly at that.

" _That is fine with me Shinji; we will have to continue our other subjects first though, I do not want to just bog your mind down with stories of glories past. You must be a well-rounded individual to operate in a communal society such as yours._ "

"Of course, Hours-san, I wouldn't have it any other way! Your lessons are far more interesting than Sensei's any day!" Shinji giggled boyishly and rocketed out of the room and down the stairs.

' _He is a special boy… He knows things that make it impossible for him to get along with children his own age… And even those much older than him. I would say he was more than just a child if I was not able to go back and see his birth. The gift of pre-sight is something of a boon it seems… But to know that this world has suffered because of those creatures is insane. The glimpses of the Future are never set in stone… But what I see is … Horrifying for the boy. If not prepared, he will die, and millions, if not the entirety of Humanity will die. I will Mold him, teach him, clad hi in armors both physical and mental, bend his body but never break it, bend his will to snap and then reforge it in the irons of my father's teachings. He will be what I was supposed to be and so much more._

 _Death will not hold him, fate shall not keep him, his enemies will fear him, his allies will praise him, and his loved ones will be many and plentiful. Destiny will reveal itself for what it has made me do unto this boy._ ' Horus smiled evilly at that thought.

" _And in Fire, I shall Forge him, the Neo-Emperor of Mankind. Clad in golden Adamantium and mithril he shall conquer the stars and beyond. His will shall shape nations, mold peoples, and charge souls. And I will give freely of myself to be commanded by him when he has become that which I once loved and reviled. He shall be my son, warrior of the Universe and beyond._ " Horus chuckled soundlessly to himself.

* * *

Shinji had finished preparing the food his Sensei requested and was just about to lay it on the small table in the living room when he heard the man walk in.

"It seems… Edible, at least," The man sniffed. He did not sound displeased, but not exactly happy either at the accomplishment. No one should expect a boy, one of three years at least, to make a meal of any kind besides cereal and Milk. So, for a boy so young to have made a Traditional Tamago Kake Gohan for breakfast should be astonishing. It had taken Shinji only three days to get everything down on how to make it, something that would have heralded him as a genius anywhere else.

His Sensei on the other hand simply brushed him aside and with a grunt and tucked into the food his 'student' had prepared. He tasted the Rice and Egg Yoke first, he made some sort of gagging noise that sounded closer to a laugh than anything else. He shot Shinji a scathing sidelong glance. He looked back and picked at one of the Unami Shinji had prepared. The man scowled and scrunched his nose up at it. Shinji thought it smelt heavenly, but apparently, his teacher thought it was simply passable.

"This is… Passable. Prepare this every morning, no exceptions, unless I tell you otherwise. I will give you a paper if I decide to have you make something different. You will always follow its instructions, is this clear?" The man's voice brooked no argument, but Shinji simply paid him little mind. He may be his ' _sensei_ ' but he was nothing like Horus, brilliant, soothing Horus who quelled all his fears and brought forth a wellspring of confidence the likes he had never had.

"Very well, Sensei," Shinji bowed at the waist and stayed that way until his Sensei left the room. He had learned the day before that doing anything else with the man would get him a sharp reprimand in the form of a cane to the shins. Shinji knew it was a deliberate attack, something to do with how his name sounded so much like Shin, to begin with.

Shinji quickly cleaned up what little dishes his Sensei had used, no matter how little the man had eaten from them, and left the other half of the meal on the table. Once he had cleaned, rinsed, and dried the dishes he sat down and ate his own half of the meal. It was just as tasty as he had thought it would be. Savory, warm, and light on his little tummy.

A soft glow of contentment enveloped him from tip to toe. He gladly went about the rest of his chores, putting dishes back, sweeping the floors, cleaning the entryway, and doing what little laundry had accumulated in the house. Once he was done with that, Shinji walked out of the living room, a sparse room with doors on the North and eastern walls and almost nothing else but a small table with pillow seats in its center. He trapped out of the west door and out into the entryway, he peered around down either side of the staircase that led up to his room in search of his Sensei, he found none. He looked down the eastern hall that ran the length of Synoske's room and towards the garage. The door was closed, the light was off, and there was no further sign that his Sensei was even in the house anymore.

That all suited Shinji just perfectly. He smiled to himself and ran up the stairs, taking them easily as if he had been doing it every day of his life, and rounded the corner. He entered the short hallway and shot off towards his room with all the energy a three-year-old could manage.

"Horus!" Shinji whispered as he carefully scoped out his room, he saw his favorite person sitting at his desk, a piece of paper on hand with a pencil between two thick, deceptively dexterous, fingers. The man in white robes looked up and smiled at Shinji with an appreciative air.

Every time Shinji found him smiling at him like that it sent a shiver of something through his system. He felt warm like he was wrapped in the heat of a fire without the pain. It enveloped him and coddled him, it swept him away and promised him protection and comfort for any reason and from anyone. It was awesome in its intensity and made him all the more appreciative of his caregiver's presence.

The fact that the man was also his sworn teacher -something Horus had done of his own volition- was just another thing that endeared the giant of a man to him.

" _How did your cooking go, Shinji? Did the man eat it finally?_ " Horus asked. His inquisitive air made the little boy giggle like a child for the second time that day. That had the effect of making Horus himself smile.

"Yes, Horus-San. Synoske-sensei said that the food was ' _Passable_ ' and he ate a bit of it. I had mine and thought it was pretty amazing myself. Granted, seeing as I was the one that made it that just means that my mind already knew it was good… Which is an odd sensation, to know that my mind perceives things different depending on who made it and when… Very odd indeed," Shinji muttered, half to himself and half to Horus. He walked in and sat on his bed, mind occupied with his own self-made dilemma.

Horus blinked owlishly and laughed at his student's ponderings. It was something like what he had done when learning from his father so many years ago. It brought back more than a few fond memories and made him think upon his past in a more positive light than he had in many years.

" _Do not ponder too long, student mine, we must still proceed with your lessons on history and geography. Then we will look into your maths once more. 'Tis still a puzzle to me how a people so structured around the firm reality of math can be so single-minded in its application. Do you think so Shinji?_ "

"Hmm?" Shinji looked up from his ponderings and stared wide-eyed at his mentor. "About?"

" _The single-mindedness of maths_ "

"How is it single-minded?"

" _Advancement for its own right and the application of maths._ "

"Well, the maths I know of are used in creating expensive pieces of machinery and other large-scale constructions. Weapons of mass destruction, lunar rockets, mile-high towers, and expansive bridges that cross entire oceans come to mind. But I think that that is not what you mean. Math has, in some places become its own religious fount. Hmm, Math for its own sake is pointless, unless it is going towards a destination… Then are you saying that math should be used for something different?"

" _Very good Shinji. And yes, You will grasp it in time, but Math can lead to places greater than the physical realm. I know, for I have seen them, and resided within them. You know this, for I have told you stories of this. Now! To begin our lesson! Who was the greatest emperor of Rome during the first century AD?_ "

* * *

" _How was General Custer finally defeated?_ "

"His arrogance. He believed that he could crush the Native forces with an overwhelming encirclement. His forces were exhausted from the long march. This, along with the fact that the 7th regiment was outmatched heavily in the favor of the Native forces, contributed to his defeat and later death at the battle of Little Big-Horn."

" _Passable, but not perfect. It will work for now. Shinji, I have Ten thousand men at my command, the walls of my city are forty feet tall and seventeen feet thick. There are four major towers that allow for anti-artillery weapons to be placed on them. I am facing an army of one hundred thousand._

 _MY forces are outnumbered ten to one. How should I defend against this army?_ " Horus asked with a stern look about him. His shoulders were set and his eyes held secrets that would either help or hamper, Shinji's plans.

"First I have questions."

" _Very well._ "

"How many people are in the city? What is its strategic importance? What type of trade does it have and what are its imports and exports? How much food is stockpiled within the city at the moment? How far from the walls are the civilians housed? Where is the Center of town? Is there a moat? What kind of weapons are we using, and what is my enemy using?"

" _There are two hundred thousand civilians within the city. The city is the last stronghold still held by your side before the enemy can get to the Capital which is set in a mountain. The city exports lumber and metal ore to other cities in exchange for grain and spices. There is a three month supply of food within the city, this includes the stockpile. The houses are a minimum twenty feet from the walls. The town center, the castle proper, is located towards the northernmost part of the city towards its center. There is a fifty foot wide, ten-foot deep moat that sits around the city. You are using Medieval era type weapons, your enemy is using late Iron age weapons. They are technologically deficient to you. They, however, do have artillery type weapons within their inventory. Trebuchets, Ballistas, Catapults, mangonel, and other such weapons of mass destruction are within their purview._

 _Does that answer your questions?_ "

"What people are they? Who are my people?"

" _The invaders are Byzantine, You are Catholic Romans._ "

"So… I am facing the Defunct Byzantine Empire while advocating the Roman Catholic church?" Horus nodded.

"Okay. Where is my enemy?"

" _Northeast by east. They have eighty thousand men positioned outside the only exit on that side of the city. The other twenty thousand soldiers are in position over the southwestern entrance to the city. The southeastern entrance is more easily defended by the southern tower. The North and Eastern towers though are more easily able to cover the other gate._ "

"What do I have on the towers?"

" _Basic Catapults. Max range is five hundred feet. A limited supply of fifty shots per tower._ "

"Okay. What is the firing arc for the catapults?"

" _Sixty feet up at thirty a forty-five-degree angle._ "

"Okay."

" _?_ "

"First. Decommission the western tower. Move its parts behind the Southwestern gate. Take twenty f its shots and divide them up between the north and eastern towers. Move three thousand men to man the northeastern gate. Move the rest to man the southern. Displace ten thousand people and pay them to build three catapults along the southwestern front. Break down the buildings along both gates and turn the rubble into shrapnel for the catapults. Build two secondary catapults near the north gate.

What kind of Herbs, Spices, and poisons, do we have in storage?"

" _Aconite, Cumin, Jalapeno, Turmeric, Thyme, Rosemary, Cilantro, Parsley, Carrot powder, Sesame, Poppy, and Cinnamon. All of it is dried._ "

"Hmm… Ground up the cinnamon, jalapenos, and turmeric. Have the people put them into thin-walled clay jars… Is there gunpowder and phosphorus?"

" _Yes, and yes._ "

"Have the aconite ground into a fine paste… Grind up the poppy seeds as well… Mix both together…. Is the Moat outside linked to the cities living condition? Does it feed the water supply?"

" _No._ "

"Then we will dump the mix of Poppy seed dust and Aconite into the moat at night. Hmm conscript the men and put them into the armor of the men holding the southern gate. Get everyone else set up in the peasant clothes… Do they have enough daggers?"

" _Yes…_ "

"Good… Wait for night. Arm the men with the caustic bombs I had them make. Have the men cross the moat and filter into the enemy encampments. Have them integrate with them and spread out as evenly as possible. After the assault ends on the next night have the men don some of the enemies armor, tie off a single red strip of fabric around their heads to signify who they are aligned with. Once the moon is high in the night, have them set off all the bombs in both encampments. Order both sets of Catapults to arm themselves with the ruble from the buildings and wait for my signal.

From there, wait for the men to gather outside of the encampment. Once their signal torch is set, order the catapults to launch. After the fifth volley, on the southern side let down the gate and order the peasant men to come out and face the beleaguered forces of the Byzantine Empire.

The seven thousand men from earlier will circle around and keep all stragglers from leaving the combat area. From there we will eradicate the southern force and then move back into the city.

What is the enemies response?"

" _The enemy staggers. The onslaught from the catapults puts them off guard and on the defensive. The army splits in two upon daybreak. One goes directly south and sets up camp just off the side of the southeastern wall. The other half of the enemy finishes their siege weapons and begins to fire back. A few thousand troops drink from the poisoned water and become severely ill. All but a few die, cutting the now seventy thousand strong armies down to sixty-three thousand._ "

"Wait three days, recuperate and refuel. How much spice is left?"

" _Hmm,_ " Horus contemplated what kind of resources he should give his young protege. The boy had already devastated a force thrice his size with minimal losses. Soe chaos and bloodlust through the enemy ranks, and forced them to kill each other in the darkest hours of the night. " _There is still some cinnamon, Jalapeno, and Cumin left. The turmeric is gone._ "

"Then I want the people to make a mixture of what's left of the Cinnamon, Jalapeno, and cumin. Then I want the carrot dust divided amongst the army. How coarse is it?"

" _It is a fine powder, about the one millimeter in diameter._ "

"Hmmm… Have larger portions given to the most stealth oriented members of the army. Now… We attack in two days."

" _Why two days?_ "

"Because first I am going to send the men into the southern camp from the west. They will be dressed in Byzantine garb and armored with their weapons and armor. Their orders are to filter in at a gradual pace and search out the officers of the army. Once done, they will assassinate them in the middle of the night. At the same time, a smaller group will be heading to the northern army. Their objective is to eliminate all officers, and whoever it is that is leading the army, within the next few hours. They are to use the carrot dust to kill them by forcing it into their lungs. A slow death will be a good reminder to never attack here ever again."

Horus blinked, once, twice, and then he laughed.

" _Congratulations. You have just demoralized, defanged, and demotivated over sixty thousand men… All within a weeks time as well. Your casualties are estimated to be in the hundreds, thanks to rocks flying over the walls and a small section being destroyed. You also lost two hundred of your men from the ten thousand strong fighting force you had started out with. Your people hail you as a hero, some as a god, and others as something more. Very good Shinji. History and battle tactics seem to have done you well!_ "

"I had an amazing teacher, Horus-san!" Shinji smiled brilliantly.

" _And I have an amazing student. Use your mind well, and it will never betray you!_ " Horus laughed at the look of confusion on the boy's face.

"How could my own mind betray me?"

Horus just laughed harder.

* * *

 **Three Months Later**

* * *

" _What is the optimal balance of a sword?_ "

"Just above the hilt, close to the tang, but no more than two inches up the blade!"

- **Thwack Thwack Thwack-**

" _Where are the best places to strike a body!_ "

"Neck, thigh, armpit, groin, spine, temple, sternum, solar-plexus, foot!"

" _First ring! Incapacitating strikes!_ "

"Neck! **-Thwack-** Thigh! **-Thwack-** Sternum! **-Thwack-** "

" _Good!_ " Horus walked around the wood post dummy he had helped Shinji erect in the backyard. " _First Ring! Mortal wounds!_ "

"Groin! **-Crack-** Temple! **-Crack-** Spine! **-C-Crack-k-** "

" _Very good! First Ring! Debilitating wounds!_ "

"Foot! **-Thwack-** Solar-plexus! **-Thwack-** Armpit! **-Thwack-** "

" _Again! Harder! Crack the Foot! Break the ribs! Shater the ball! Leave your enemy unable to fight, unable to defend himself! Beat him before he can move again and you will have won the war before it started!_ "  
Armpit! **-Thwack-** Foot! **-Thwack-** Solar-plexus! **-Thwack snap!-** " The bokan Shinji was using shattered upon impact with the training dummy, pieces of bamboo went flying and tumbled to the ground. Both Horus and Shinji stared at the broken training sword and maimed chest area of the dummy. Bits of bamboo stuck out of it, buried just under a half inch into its surface.

"Was I always that strong?"

" _I do not believe so, young Shinji… This is a new development I believe._ "

"Can we temper it so that I will not harm anyone? It would be interesting to have such as a back up…."

" _Yes, that would a be a good idea. Hmm, I wonder if having myself tethered to you is having some sort of adverse effect upon your body,_ " Horus knelt down and looked over Shinji's growing body. " _Hmm, your muscles are not any bigger than they were… Your bones seem to be the same strength as when we first met… For all intents and purposes, you have not changed much. You have grown three inches taller in the short time I have known you, but that is to be expected from a growing boy who is eating a balanced meal every day. Hmmm,_ " Horus cocked his head to the side and peered into Shinji's soul. He saw glimpses of a much older man, still young in the eyes of Horus, but older nonetheless. There was a large machine that stood with him at some points in his life. At other times there were two girls, one blue and one red, those images made Horus think of what he could do to prepare his student for the hormones he would one day be facing, but as he himself barely remembered what it was like when he was young… He 'feared' for his student's sanity when the time came… It would be gloriously hilarious.

" _Let us continue this later, Shinji. We will work on your sciences now._ "


	3. The Rage of Childhood:Ch 3

**Chapter Three**

 **The Rage of Childhood**

 **Two Years Later**

* * *

"Boy!"

"Yes, Synoske-Sensei?"

"Where are the Capitals of the JIF located?!"

"Tokyo-3 is the main Capital of the JIF, of the Japanese Island Federation. Its secondary capitals are located in Ternate -Southern JIF-, and Manila -Central JIF-. Tokyo and Japan as a whole are the representation of western civilization within the Asiatic region of the world. WE symbolize hope and perseverance for the future."

"That is an acceptable answer! Now, what are the Capitals of, the German Municipality, the United States of All America, the Great Russian Conglomerate, and the People's Republic of Asia?"

"The Capital of the United States of All America, or the USAA as they are now called, is the Cities are Bogota -of the Southern USAA-, Wichita -of the Central USAA-, and the Fortress city MacMurray -of the Northern USAA-. The German Municipality, or GM as they are called for both benign and humorous reasons. Its capitals are Berlin -of Western GM, Ivanovo -of Eastern GM-, and Tripoli -of Southern GM-. The Great Russian Conglomerate's, or GRC's, capital cities are Zyryanka -of the Eastern GRC- and Turukhansk -of the Western GRC-. The Capitals of the People's Republic of Asia, or PRA, are Kabul-of the western PRA- and Beijing -of the Eastern PRA-." Shinji cringed on the inside. He already knew all of this, had already covered this with Horus some months earlier. They had covered the expansion of Germany into Russia and the rest of Europe. They covered how Russia, after Second Impact, had lost control of its cities and militaries, each taking unto themselves a hectare of land worthy of their standing it seemed; they lost ground to Germany and China in that time.

Germany resided within all of Europe and most of Northern Africa while Russia receded back behind the Sixtieth parallel. China, now the PRA, had taken over Mongolia, everything north of Bangkok, all of India, Pakistan, and the eastern half of Afghanistan.

"Where does the JIF pull its resources from?"

"It has trade agreements with the Newly Re-created United Nations Pact. They serve as JIF's main line of Resources. However, the JIF also deals in offshore drilling, farming, and cultivation. It is the third most powerful, economic, nation in the world. Only the USAA and PRA surpass our Economic structure. The free countries of the Arab nations reduce what the GM and GRC are able to actually produce with their constant wars against each other."

"Hmm, again, passable. But not perfect!" Synoske slapped a metal ruler against the living room table, just inches from Shinji's hand. "How many people live in the PRA!"

"Two billion six hundred and eighty million!" Shinji barked.

"What is the average lifespan of all male citizens of the GM!"

"Eighty-three years! Sixty-five if born after Second Impact!"

"What is the general gestation period of a human child under current world conditions!" Shinji paused at that and had to actually think for a moment.

"Eleven months! Health risks have made hospitals induce a prolonged pregnancy for the sake of a healthier child post birth!"

"Not good enough!" CRACK! The metal ruler embedded itself in the table at how much force Synoske used.

"I will try harder Synoske-Sensei!" Shinji barked.

"I want faster! Not harder!" Synoske slapped Shinji across the mouth. The boy fell sideways and landed in his side. He gripped his mouth with his free hand. He could taste the blood on his tongue, his lip felt wet.

"Se-"

"Don't 'Sensei' me! Get faster! The world will not wait for you Shinji-Ikari! You either must make it bend to your will, or bend yourself to fit it! There is no third option!"

* * *

Horus watched with a silent rage from the opposite side of the room. His steely silver eyes narrowed slightly at the man's words. While not wrong, it was a far too harsh a lesson to inflict on a nigh on the seven-year-old boy.

* * *

"I _will_ be faster next time, Sensei," Shinji, silent about the pain, promised the man that had hit him. _I will be faster, fast enough to react, to dodge, to fight back. I detest bullies, I detest tyrannical people, I detest those who abuse their power. You sensei, have abused your power over me for the last time._

Shinji glared, unrepentantly, up at his teacher and slowly wiped the blood from his lip. He looked at it and growled. Three years of abuse from this man, three years of soul-crushing words and delusions of happiness taken away with cruel gestures and manipulative demands. Words spoken in kindness driven to madness at actions of abuse and terror.

As much as Shinji wished to rail against the man, declare him a monster in all but skin and blood, Shinji had learned from his other teacher, a man more unto a father for him than even his biological one, had shown him how to grow _because_ of the adversity raged against him. He taught him how to spite adversity and grow even stronger of will and mind, body and soul.

 _Do not go gentle into that good night_. Words spoke with a solemnity that spoke of so much pain and honor. Those words rocked his soul at that moment, his face relaxed and his head bowed slightly at his teachers look.

"As you say Sensei. I will do as you say, your wisdom mine."

"As it should be! Now go get ready for bed! It is time that you learn reticence."

* * *

"Horus, I ask for your forgiveness. I almost lost my patience with him again." The boy sat on the floor, legs tucked underneath him. His palms, pad down against his thighs, helped support his upper body as he bowed towards the man that had taken such care with him.

" _Your rage is acceptable, young Shinji. You have done better than I had when someone struck me for no better reason than a pause. I killed men for far less, and pardoned men over far more._ "

"I do not wish to harm my fellow man! I wish to better them, guide them, lead them into a golden age!" Shinji raged against his mentor. Horus smiled in acceptance of his pupils rage.

" _Then accept that you will have to fight against your own people to better them before they will listen to reason and light. You may see a better future for mankind, but mankind has always railed against those that thought they knew best. For every man who has said that he knew a better way, and meant it, there have been nine more that knew it, twisted it, and made it a horrid monstrosity of what it was meant to be. Look at Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Kim, and So many other leaders of the world's history. They have said to know a better way for all men to live, to better humanity, but they brought greater depravities and death to our great race than any outside force ever has._ "

"Then I will rage against that machine! Death will not follow my steps like some lost puppy! I will better myself just as I would better Humanity. Decades, centuries, it will not matter!" The six and a half year old growled. He was on his feet now and level with Horus' chest. Horus sat on the bed and grinned at his protege.

" _Then rage, Shinji, show the world the power of your convictions. Never let it bend them, break them, nor shatter them. Make the world your own and it will never forget you._ "

"I do not care if the world forgets me, my face, or my life. As long as it is bettered for the rest of time I will be happy in its continued existence."

" _Very well… Do you wish to be a cog in the machine that is Humanity then?_ " Horus asked, eyebrow raised in question as he narrowed his eyes at Shinji.

"Never! I want to lead them to a golden age, I want to be that man standing at the front, proclaiming for the ages ' _WE ARE HUMANITY, FEAR US, REVILE US, PRAISE US!_ ' I want Humanity to be the pinnacle that is to be reached for, the greatest among the stars! Brightest means nothing if there _is_ nothing to move forward!"

Horus blinked and laughed. The conviction in his student's voice carried the rage of millennia in his blood.

" _Then it is time I brought you to the next part of your training, Shinji Ikari. You will hate me, you will love me, you will wish to kill me … and if everything goes as planned, you will do all of it with a heart of gold, and a fist of brilliant steel._ "

"I don't want to kill you! You are the only person that ever cares about me! Why would I want to get rid of you?!" Shinji hissed with angry grief-stricken shock.

" _HA! I cannot die, Shinji. I have told you the stories of how one turned against my father and was destroyed for his hubris, even asked for the killing blow. Now I reveal unto you who it was that betrayed my father._ " Horus stood and ushered Shinji back from him so he had room.

A small gust of wind blew in through the window of Shinji's room. The wind turned opaque and gathered around Horus in an ever greater swirl of white-blue energy. Shinji covered his face to protect against the sudden wind.

" _Your next lesson is upon you, my protege… You need to be taught humility Shinji Ikari…_ _ **Darkness resides even in the greatest of creations!**_ " Shinji uncovered his face when the voice of his beloved teacher suddenly fell a few octaves and dropped far into the baritone scale. What he saw was … terrifying.

" _ **Look upon me, Shinji Ikari, son of Man, and see what happens when arrogance becomes your undoing, and the laughter of hungry gods becomes your closest companion!**_ " Horus, Arch-Traitor of Humanity, the Imperium, and the Emperor of Mankind, stood undisguised before his pupil. His face, a twisted rictus of a bloodthirsty grin. Instead of his usual white and gold trimmed greek-esk robes, he was clad in his Warmaster Terminator armor. Black and bronze splotched with blood and gore. The crimson eye of terror inlaid upon his abdomen shone brightly with the insanity of the warp. Horus' tainted presence filled the room and sent the shadows into a frenzy. The lights went dim and red, _living_ , light engulfed Horus' head. His pupils became like stars within his eyeballs and his skin turned ashy gray. Blood dripped from his suits talloned right hand, and his left clasped a massive crozius one and a half times his size.

"W-what the hell?!' Shinji screamed. The boy retreated across the floor and slammed into the far wall, right next to the vanity. His eyes were wide, heart pounded erratically in his chest, and his mouth hung loosely from shock. Fear, primal fear raced through his veins and turned them cold as he looked upon the changed form of his mentor.

" _ **This is what happens, Shinji, when you become arrogant. I fell from the path of righteous conquest my father laid down for me, and this is what it gave me. I became more powerful than anything I could imagine, and then I tried to kill off everything i once held near and dear to my hearts. My father, The Emperor of Mankind, met me on the bridge of my Flagship, Vengeful Spirit, and fought me. Him, my brothers Sanguinus and Rogal Dorn, invaded my house and struck deep within the heart of my ship. Dorn was lost amongst the Warp fiends and daemons that roamed my vessel he did not make it to the final duel on time. Sanguinus, my most loved brother, met me first on the command deck. We fought, blade to claw and bolter. Two titans in living flesh we fought, and then I killed him in cold blood when I ripped out his heart and feasted upon his flesh.**_

 _ **father found us moments later. Sanguinus uttered no death rattle, simply dead and gone before my father even shed a single tear for his demise. Then, we fought. Titans of ego we were. Our psychic might crashed around the command deck like a storm over sandy shores. Machinery was rent asunder and lives ended in the blink of an eye, dust before they hit the deck. I almost won nay-they almost won-, defeated my father, when I took back control. I shouted for him to kill me, to end my suffering. Seven long years of torturous machinations of the like few have ever seen, and fewer have ever lived through.**_

 _ **When my father struck me down and ended my reign of terror, My body turned to dust and my soul launched itself through the immaterium, the Warp. I traversed its depths for longer than any being has been said to live and then lost myself in the blackest purgatory I have ever seen. There, I found the futures of the universe, the multiverse, and studied them. I learned more than I ever thought I would, and forget even more than I learned.**_

 _ **Death unending is the end of arrogance. I will not see it befall you as well… My son…,**_ " Horus finished his monologue. His heart ached when he saw the face of horror Shinji was giving him, his chest constricted against his lungs and made it hard to breathe, his throat shivered and tried to force out a word of comfort, and his eyes cringed at the unshed tears that wished to spill forth.

"H-how do I fight this then?" Shinji whispered. His words barely made a sound in the stillness of the room. Darkness overwhelming took the sound and stowed it away. Only by his father's great gifts was Horus even able to hear the words uttered by his favored pupil, his son in all but blood and seed.

" _ **By fighting the hor**_ _rors of my home might you find solace in how to counter your arrogance. But finding those that will rail against you, yet understand you, will be the key. Friends and allies will strengthen your resolve, and humble you when they themselves break down your ideas and force you to see reason. You will not need those that are as smart, nor as brave as you, for those of lesser mind and heart can still draw wisdom from previously unthinkable angles._ " Horus reverted back into his normal form, white robes morphing back from the armor that had once clad him. The rancid evil that had purveyed the room vanished along with his transformation, death left with a sickly taste about the air, terror slid away with a singular giggle, and the darkest shadows became their natural hue and returned to where they should be.

Shinji, without realizing it, took in a huge gulp of air and gave a mighty great sigh. As if a world-sized weight had been lifted from his shoulders he looked up into his mentor's eyes.

Horus saw something change then, right as their eyes met, his heart stopped and Horus knelt down.

"D-did… do you…"

" _What is it Shinji?_ " Horus asked, his heart raced and his throat threatened to close on him.

"What you said!" Shinji shot to his knees. His eyes were wide and filled with something that Horus hadn't seen before.

" _I said a many great things Shi-_ " Horus was cut off when Shinji shot to his feet and sent an unreadable look at him.

"Son. You called me… Son… Do you mean it!" Shinji yelled now, truly yelled. He got in Horus' face and latched his hands onto either side of the great mans face. Horus blinked, froze, and then realized he had said those words out loud. An almost unnoticeable flush came to the Warmaster's cheeks and caused him to pause for but a second.

" _Yes. I did say that. Again, yes, I do mean it._ " Horus was, surprisingly, almost toppled over by the sheer joy the boy displayed when he rammed into his. Even less than a foot away, the boy had enough momentum to somehow almost toppled the, shorter than he used to be, Warmaster. " _My son… You are everything I wished I could have had in a child of my own. You will herald my hopes and dreams into the future… And as your dreams become a reality, your dreams will become my dreams, and your goals will be my goals. I swear it to you, Shinji, my Son, that I will prepare you for a future that will be bright and meaningful, one carved by your own hands!_ " Horus embraced the boy and whispered his words of promise and encouragement into his ear. His large hands engulfed the boys back and head and cradled him against his chest in a loving embrace.

"Bright shall be the future, for we will shape it with our own hands," Shinji echoed back. The two embraced for some time, arms locked around each other in a familiar embrace of paternal affection. For Horus, it reminded him of the single time his father had ever embraced him in the hundreds of years he had known him. It had been awkward, hard -thanks to the armor they wore-, and simply not as fulfilling. Now, it filled him with joy and some emotion similar to the pride he had felt for his many 'sons'.

For Shinji, it was like hugging his father all over again, but with far more warmth and affection than the man had ever given him. Even the hugs his mother, who he barely recognized, had given him did not compare to the feeling he was getting from Horus.

"I-I love you… Dad…," Shinji uttered under a soft breath. His arms tightened around Horus' neck a bit and brought his body that much closer to the man he now called father.

" _I love you too, Son,_ " Horus choked out. His eyes actually managed to release a singular tear then. Filled with the love and admiration of the child in his arms, Horus knew that he had found somewhere where he belonged almost unconditionally.


	4. Talks of Religious Fervor:Ch 4

**Chapter Four**

 **Talks of Religious Fervor**

 **Two Days Later**

* * *

Shinji laid in bed and smiled up at the ceiling. He still could not get over the fact that Horus, his mentor, and guardian, had called him his son. It was like a dream come true. He still hated some of their training sessions, but that was something he could, and did, live with gladly. The lessons gave him so much to do as well, it was more fun doing those exercises than more than three-fourths of all his 'teacher's' work put together!

 _Supposedly I will be going through some more training today… Something about a Darian sea or something like that? Dad said it would be his gift to me. How some kind of training tool can be a gift I will never know._

Shinji's thoughts lept from one avenue of procession to another, almost at light speed. It was obvious to those that could talk with him that he was smart, almost overwhelmingly so, but under Horus' guidance, he was curbing his innate need to display that hubristic side of his intelligence.

Shinji espoused the idea that humanity would be the Pinnacle that all civilizations, alien and domestic, would strive for. He wanted a great empire, and Imperial might, so great and so vast that no single person could see the breadth and width of it within their lifetime. His goal was the immeasurable conquest of the galaxy and beyond, by any means necessary that brought the least amount of blood.

" _Shinji, it is time I showed you something that I have been working on._ "

Shinji turned onto his side and cocked his brow in question up at his accepted father-figure. Horus smirked at his son's curiosity and waved for him to follow.

"Where are we going?"

" _To the backyard. It's the only place actually large enough for me to erect it._ " Shinji's head tilted slightly to the left and his eyes picked up a slight twinkle to them. Horus chuckled deeply at this and walked on.

"IS it that big?" Shinji asked.

" _No, it is simply that dangerous to have in the house,_ " Horus laughed at his son's confusion.

"Oh…."

Horus smirked and waved Shinji through the back door. Once the boy skipped on past him, Horus slipped out the door and let it close behind them. Since the two had been in the house so long, Horus was now able to interact with most anything within it, and most things around it as well. His idea that Shinji was the center of his powers concern, he had figured out that most things that Shinji stayed around, even for just an hour or so, left him the ability to interact with said object for days at a time. This had been something they had tested, quite thoroughly, and found that the time increased exponentially so the longer Shinji was around something.

" _Go stand off to the side, Shinji, I do not want you getting caught in the creation of the Dirak Sea before it is complete… there is no telling what would happen otherwise._ "

Horus waved his son, that was something he would never tire of calling the boy, away and prepared his mind for the exercise to come.

Horus spreads his feet shoulder width apart and steeled his body. Hands risen in a projecting manner, palms towards the earth with elbows slightly bent, he began a chant.

" _Force of recognition, Master of stability, Demon of ingenuity, Father of relativity, Host of my will, Harbor of calm shores, reveal thyself and quake at my will for_ I _hold your purpose and your strength._ "

Shinji watched, astonished with wide eyes and loose jaw, as a large black hole took form and shaped itself into being at his dad's words. Those same words, as they were spoken, struck a chord within Shinji's mind. Like a door unlatched, a secret power was let loose.

 _A day of unknowable consequences has been unleashed upon the world and the hells will shake for whence they witness the righteous, they will know fear and terror in abundance._

" _Shinji… This, that I have forced into the material realm, is a Dirac Sea. Within it lies a universe of infinite possibilities. My willpower alone shapes the very fabric of its reality, gives it form. With this, I will shape your mind and hone your skills without ever marking a day to pass on this side of the horizon. Within you shall live lifetimes and discover things that which I cannot teach you in this lifetime. Battles will be fought and won by your hand within and lost just as so._

 _For now, you will face the tutelage of myself and my brothers as I have forged their memory. Scions of the Emperor of Mankind will teach you the best of the universe… and mold you into the best that you can be without hardening your heart and soul against the world._

 _You will be Strong, but Kind, Cruel, but Merciful, Devious, but Trustworthy, Noble in all things but against your enemy. Your allies will love you, enemies Revile you, and opposers sneer at you. The pinnacle of humanity shall be your pedestal._ " Horus motioned for Shinji to stand with him at the side of the Dirac Sea.

"So… I'll be going in there at some point?"

" _You could go in there right now if you want, and you would make it through several years of teaching without even missing dinner. But, I will be having you use this tool in much shorter intervals than that for now. We will work you up to that sort of endurance._ " Shinji looked up at his dad and blinked in astonishment. Horus looked down and winked at his son. He placed a large hand on Shinji's shoulder and patted it gently.

That was still a concept he lost himself in sometimes. He never thought to have a son, not one like Shinji at least. The boy was smart. Almost smarter than he was some days. It was a breath of fresh air, one that allowed the one-time Warmaster to relax and simply enjoy the life he had been gifted. Shinji sought his approval with almost everything he did, but the boy was not reluctant to go against him if he believed something strongly enough. It was those moments, the ones where Shinji challenged Horus' understanding of the world, that he lived for most. More often than not he would come out having learned something new about the universe and its workings. Or, as the universe usually cornered him with, a better understanding of who exactly his son was.

Genius was not something that Horus would label Shinji with since for him it was not exactly a wide enough term to depict what he thought of the boy. Beautiful was one, astounding another, dedicated, profound, arrogant, humble, understanding, ignorant, innocent, guilty, honed, and blunt. Each of these could describe the Anchor of Truth or Truth's Anchor. Either or, he was all of them and none of them. His favored son among hundreds of thousands, not even Abbadon -in his prime-, Aximund, Torrgadon, Sejanus, or even Garviel, could muster the same feeling of pride, love, protection, and adoration he felt for the boy. Combined, it was possible, but alone they could not even hold a candle to the boy's brilliance within his heart.

"Then what will I be doing first?" Shinji asked. Horus looked at him and smiled kindly to the lad.

" _I will be setting up a classroom within. Who you are with, and what they will be teaching you will be at my discretion. I hope you enjoy it though._ "

Shinji widened his eyes and grinned up at the giant. Shinji hopped from foot to foot in anticipation and waited for Horus to let him jump in.

" _You will spend three days inside the Dirac Sea after that time has passed within, a stairway will appear near you. Your tutor for the time you are there will show you the way out,_ " Horus smiled. He knew who he would have tutor his son first, and he was looking forward to his son's reaction.

Shinji smiled and walked over to Horus. At his side, the little boy looked up at the giant of a man and tilted his head questioningly. At Horus' nod, he walked forward.

"I will see you soon father!" and with that, he disappeared into the Dirac Sea.

* * *

"Hello little one," A deep rustic voice called out from within the darkness. Shinji jumped and looked around sharply. "All is well, lamb of the Eye. You are among friends. Be still and look with your heart, not your 'eyes'." The voice gently instructed.

"Who are you?" Shinji asked as he closed his eyes. He tried to do as the voice instructed, but found it difficult. He had never done something like what it had asked him to do before. His mind raced and his heart thundered in his chest.

"I am the Aurelian, Eighteenth son of the father, and most devout of his sons. I am Lorgar, once a son, now a daemon. I am to show you the folly of absolute faith, and how best to understand the universe. Faith is best when placed in the unshakable, but wasted on the petty and the unworthy." The voice of Lorgar Aurelian echoed out in the dark.

"Blind faith in something is not always damnable!" Shinji challenged.

"That is no-"

"If all you do is look for the unshakable, then you will miss the inevitable! Blind faith through ignorance is the worst, as you will do everything to maintain that bliss of ignorance!"

"Then the ignorance of millions would be incorrect!" The voice challenged.

"Ignorance and ignorant faith are different!" Shinji growled. "You use my words against me, and poorly, forge your own ideals you misbegotten lech!" Shinji growled. He then reached out and tore at the darkness with his hands. There, like a veil torn back from the light, the place he was in became illuminated. Cobbled stone lined the floors, walls, and ceiling of the room. There were no exits, only a single set of desks that faced each other in the middle of the room.

"I see you, Lorgar, Urizen. I see that you followed blindly and ignorantly, even as others warned you against the encroaching darkness, you ignored them. All of that in favor of a religion that favored the darkest sacrifices, and most deviant actions."

"How dare yo-!"

"I name you fallen, and to never be remembered! YOU, you who twisted the mind of my father and dragged him down to the depths of the Warp. You, who damned millions of brothers to eternal damnation. You, who once was called brother, I bemoan your presence and dare not even spit upon your corpse when you are gone!"

The eyes of a six and a half-year-old boy glowed golden blue as his words spilled forth. Lorgar Aurelian shrunk back from the very might of this boy's presence and quaked at his words. Like a mountain crumbling under the might of the world, Lorgar did quake under the very gaze of Shinji Ikari, adopted son of Horus Lupercal - Warmaster.

Once the verbal abuse ended, Lorgar stood and shocked the young man. His face changed. Lorgar's face melted, like an icy drift melting away in the heat of summer, into a patrician countenance of microscopic tattoos and handsomeness. He looked almost as regal as Horus but lacked the life and paternal love that usually shown on through in the man's eyes and actions.

"Conviction in one's own beliefs, even in the face of a superior intellect, is the best form of defense. But. Do not forget to keep an open mind, for even the best, most closely guarded, beliefs may be wrong. Always search out what it is _YOU_ want to believe in. Never put your faith into something that you have not researched yourself. Never. No matter what myself, Horus, or anyone else might tell you, never forget that you are you and that YOU are the only one who's belief matters to yourself.

Now that that is out of the way, it is time for your true lessons on Faith, Religion, and the immaterial worlds to begin," Lorgar smiled, not unkindly, to his newest pupil. Far be it from him to deny someone so strongly rooted in their beliefs, even if he himself had no idea what they could possibly be.

* * *

Horus stood upon the earthen ground of their residences backyard for little more than ten minutes before he saw Shinji once more. The boy looked starry eyed and filled with questions and wonder.

"That was…," The boy obviously could not find the words to describe his encounter with Horus' younger brother Lorgar.

"Extraordinary?" Horus supplied as he smiled down at his son.

"It was surprising! He was amazing! The knowledge he imparted was grandiose and awesome. It was much like how our lessons are, but so focused and succinct that I couldn't deviate from them! It was magnificent. Thank you father!" Shinji embraced the gargantuan man-thing with his tiny arms and buried his face in Horus' side. Horus chuckled silently at the boy's antics and ruffled his hair with one of his large hands.

" _I figured you would have liked listening to him, he was always one of my favorite brothers to talk to when it concerned matters of faith. Though he was the first of us to fall, he was never close-minded. Any question concerning faith, no matter the redundant-ness of it, he would gladly discuss it with you. If you ever need to talk about such again, or just need to vent to someone that will be able to offer more depth than I, say so and I shall connect you with him._ "

"Thank you, father. I will treasure this always. I can't wait for the next time! Who will you have me meet next?"

" _It will always be a surprise young Shinji, but trust me, you will have a chance to meet someone new tomorrow. For now, you need to go and prepare for_ his _dinner._ " Shinji nodded dejectedly into Horus' side before he let go. The young man sullenly traipsed on up to the house and sullenly opened the door and went inside.

' _I wish to hurt that man, but… With his connection to Shinji's Gene-parent, I do not think it would be wise to terminate such an avenue. The Future's not set in stone, but the things I have seen… If Shinji does not participate, then the world will die. There is naught but hot air that I can do to stop this course of events. So must I prepare my child to participate in the coming conflict. Bring low these '_ Angels' _he will, with his voice alone will he destroy them if I can teach him so. His hands will be stained in the blood of these Xenos, for they do wish the death of Humanity._ ' Horus' musings were cut short when Shinji called out from within the household.

"Dinner is served Sensei! Come eat!" Horus scowled, promptly having forgotten his thoughts in lieu of watching over his son and ward.


End file.
